June 21, 2017

June 20, 2017

June 13, 2017

Swim Around Key West joins the Global Swim Series! The goal of the Global Swim Series is to promote open water swimming around the world and increase participation in the sport. By swimming in any GSS race you automatically earn points based on a combination of participation and speed, these points then give you a “Global Ranking.” The more races you do, the higher your ranking!

June 1, 2016

May 26, 2016

May 21, 2016

Organizer Bill Welzien completed his 74th career swim around Key West in a time of 6:52:00. He will attempt his 75th swim on June 4 with the rest of the field. Pictured here are Bill and his daughter Jane, who accompanied him as kayak support. Read Bill’s report here.

May 2, 2016

We closed registration yesterday with a total of 105 solo swimmers, 14 two-person relay teams and 21 three-person relay teams. Competitor lists will be posted soon.

December 13, 2015

Key West Citizen newspaper:

October 27, 2015

Don Nelson and Bill Welzien at the completion of Bill’s 72nd career swim around the island of Key West.

Bill Welzien completed his #72 career swim around the island of Key West on Tuesday in a time of 6:30:38. He was accompanied by captain Don Nelson. Welzien and Nelson work closely together in the organization of the Annual Swim Around Key West. The winds were out of the east south east at about 20 knots, which made for a good challenge on the Atlantic side of the island. Welzien said it was much rougher for Nelson in the kayak than it was for him. The swim began and ended on the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Traditionally, the start /finish originates at Smathers Beach, but the 40th Annual Swim Around Key West scheduled for June 4th, 2016, may change its venue to Fort Zachary Taylor due to an early high tide in the Key West Harbor. Welzien is currently working with park officials to finalize the details of the new start/finish location.

September 8, 2015

August 22, 2015

The 39th Annual Swim Around Key West recently presented a check for $4,000 to the Key West High School Cross Country Team. Nearly 160 swimmers participated in the 12.5-mile event on June 6, 2015. A portion of their entry fees supports the donation to the Key West student runners. Read the full press release here.

Swim Organizer Bill Welzien is pictured presenting the check to Cross Country team members at Key West Golf Club. Pictured (L to R): Jane Welzien, Bobby Black, Jerry Burgess, Bill Welzien, JT Keane and Miles Cooper.

August 28, 2015

The Daily News of Open Water Swimming publishes article about Organizer Bill Welzien’s upcoming attempt to swim across the Sea of Galilee and back: “Bill Welzien to Go Double Duty”

May 30, 2015

May 22, 2015

May 6, 2015

Organizer Bill Welzien completed his 64th career swim around Key West in 6:29:04. He is now eligible to attempt his 65th (same number as his age) swim during the 39th Annual Swim Around Key West on June 6. Read Bill’s swim report, “Eligible for #65.”

April 20, 2015

Bill Welzien is pictured with his children Georgia Smith and Billy Welzien aftercompleting Swim #63. He is covered inzinc oxide to protect his skin from the sun.

Bill Welzien completed his 63rd career swim around the island of Key West in a time of 6:30:47. Welzien, who turned 65 a few days before, said he plans to swim the course again on May 6 and to swim his 65th on June 6, the scheduled day of the 39th Annual Swim Around Key West (12.5 miles). Welzien is the event Organizer and participates as a swimmer each year, yielding others to direct the swim on race day. The water temperature for his recent swim was a warm 85 degrees. The wind was out of the SSE at approximately 8-10 mph and the air temperature was in the upper 80s. Welzien was accompanied by his daughter Georgia Smith and his son Billy Welzien. They paddled alongside Welzien, providing him with the protection and nourishment necessary to complete the distance.

March 9, 2015

The two-person relay category is now full.

January 20, 2015

As of 7:34 pm today, the solo swimmer category is closed. We met our limit of 100 applicants in less than 7 days. There is no waiting list. Congratulations to all those who got in. Only 136 training days until the race!

November 6, 2014

October 8, 2014

Bill Welzien is pictured with his support kayaker and daughter, Priscilla, after completing his 62nd career swim around Key West on Oct. 8, 2014.

Bill Welzien completed his 62nd career swim around the Island of Key West, a distance of 12.5 miles. He started from Smathers Beach at 7:45 am and swam clockwise. The 64-year-old Welzien completed the swim in 6:15.10. This was a full moon and the high tide in the Key West Harbor was at 10:40 a.m. The wind was ENE at about 10-15 mph. Welzien’s 20-year-old daughter, Priscilla Grace (pictured), was at his side as his escort kayaker. Welzien is the organizer of the historic Annual Swim Around Key West (12.5 miles).

September 18, 2014

Key West Citizen newspaper article about the 38th Annual Swim Around Key West’s donation to the Key West High School Cross Country Team: Donations: “Making Waves”

September 9, 2014

Organizer Bill Welzien has done it again! Today he completed his 61st swim around Key West in a time of 6:03.51.

Organizer Bill Welzien is pictured with his kayaker, Larry Batts, at Smathers Beach after completing his 61st Swim Around Key West on Sept. 9, 2014.

September 5, 2014

The U.S. Coast Guard has approved our requested date of June 6, 2015 for the 39th Annual Swim Around Key West!

August 23, 2014

The 38th Annual Swim Around Key West donated $3,750 to the Key West High School Cross Country Team this year. Organizers Bill and Sessie Welzien are pictured (far right) presenting the check to team captain Everett Wagner. Also pictured are Coach Doug Weeks (far left) and Coach Terence White. Official Press Release.

Swim Around Key West donates $3,750 to the Key West High School Cross Country Team. Pictured (L to R): Coach Doug Weeks, Coach Terence White, Team Captain Everett Wagner, Swim Organizer Bill Welzien and his wife, Sessie Welzien.

April 2, 2014

January 31, 2014

The Solo Swimmer division is sold out! Please Contact Us to be put on a waiting list for the 2014 Swim

January 28, 2014

The Two-Person Relay division is sold out! Please Contact Us to be put on a waiting list for the 2014 Swim.

November 14, 2013

We will open registration for the 38th Annual Swim on Dec. 2, 2013. Stay tuned to our website for the link to apply online or print out your application.

October 29, 2013

An update on application status. Good news first: The Coast Guard has approved our application and will permit it and establish a Special Local Regulation and assign a Patrol Commander. The bad news: This year, for the first time, we have been asked to submit an additional application for permit to the Army Corps of Engineers in Miami, which will be coordinating with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. Additionally, we’ve had to start from scratch on our race headquarters. Rest assured the process is moving in the right direction, but we want to have all our ducks (buoys) in a row before accepting applications for the June 28, 2014 event. Thank you for your patience!

October 15, 2013

We are still finalizing the details of the 38th Annual Swim Around Key West that will be held on June 28, 2014. As soon as everything is ironed out, we’ll send out an email with information about how to register. If you want to make sure you’re on our email list, you can sign up here.

Swim Around Key West Donates $3,000 to Key West High School Cross Country Team

October 8, 2013

The 37th Annual Swim Around Key West donated $3,000 to the Key West High School Cross Country team this year. Organizer Bill Welzien is pictured presenting the check to team members and their coaches.

September 16, 2013

We got the official OK for our 2014 swim date. Mark your calendars now for June 28, 2014: The 38th Annual Swim Around Key West! More details, application and online signup to come in the next 6 weeks or so.

June 25, 2013

All swimmers in this year’s event should have received a survey via email. Please take a moment to fill it out so that we can improve for next year!

June 18, 2013

June 17, 2013

Some stats for the 2013 swim. We had 79 solo swimmers start the race and 77 finished! We had 18 three-person relay teams and 9 two-person relay teams compete, for a total of 151 swimmers in the water. Thanks to everyone who swam, kayaked, captained a boat, volunteered or organized this year’s successful event.

May 1, 2013: Bill becomes an IRONMAN

January 15, 2013

Important Alert:
We just learned minutes ago that the Comfort Inn will be closing for renovations. That means it will not serve as our headquarters. We will return to the Lexington Hotel. This is the hotel we used as our headquarters for the 35th and 36th Annual Swims.

If you have made reservations to stay at the Comfort Inn the hotel will be in touch with you and will transfer you to another host hotel.

A fee increase is scheduled for February 1, 2013.

November 29, 2012

The 37th Annual Swim Around Key West is on!
Race Date June 8, 2013: Online application is up and running as well as printable info, applications and hotel information.

March 1, 2011

Greetings from Key West. I hope you are well. I wanted to take a moment and give you a brief update on the preparations for the 35th Annual Swim Around Key West (12.5 miles) scheduled for June 4, 2011. Earlier we announced a cap on our various categories. The cap for the solo division is 75 and we are just under 50. As of this moment we have 27 males entered and 20 females for a total of 47. I say this to encourage any solo swimmers not already entered to do so immediately. He who hesitates is lost! We still have a good amount of openings for the 2- and 3-person relays (the cap for the two person relay is 15 and the three person relay is 20). Once the cap is reached we will close that category. -Bill Welzien, Organizer

June 2010

October 1, 2010

35th Annual Swim Around Key West Date Set!
We have heard back from the US Coast Guard (Sector Key West) and they have approved our requested date of June 4, 2011. We will hold our mandatory pre-race meeting the evening before at 6:00 pm. The swim will begin at Smathers Beach at 9:30 am.

June 26, 2010

Windy and warm swim starts on time with 111 participants, 60 solo swimmers; 5 2-person relay teams, 14 3-person relay teams. Overall Winner and first female swimmer, 20-year-old Abigail Nunn from Richmond, VA, in a time of 4:17:02. First male finisher was Ray Peden, 55, from New Castle, DE in a time of 4:44:41.See full results. Photos coming soon.

October 5, 2006

July 17, 2006

Four-time Swim Around Key West Champion Bill Welzien has decided to attempt to swim around Key West once a month every month for the next year. Bill did the July swim last week. Read about it here.

July 8, 2006: Rule Change for 2007

As a result of some stormy weather during the 2006 event, the rules committee got together and implemented “The Lightning Rule.” The new rule is as follows:

“In the event of an electrical storm, swimmers WILL be allowed to seek safety on land or a support boat without disqualification. They must then re-enter the water in the same location they exited. The clock remains running.”

The new rule will allow swimmers to get out of the water if they feel in danger without improving their position in the race. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.